It’s Never Over

It is that time of the year in Alabama were we have the hot muggy days and the temperature is in the high nineties. It makes you think you are on the African Savannah. Still, there is nothing much better than working in the man cave on the truck project.

Dr. Dale was out on rounds last week and came by to check up on the truck. I have to admire his commitment to the project.  I was pretty proud about the amount of parts already assembled; brake drums, drive shaft, bell housing and steering components. Well Dr. Dale was not really happy with the rusty brake drums and rusty drive shaft, clearly it was not acceptable. The next thing I knew I had a prescription to paint my parts.

Like any patient that doesn’t like the diagnosis, I wanted a second opinion. I pleaded my case to Dr. Brian, my other mechanic friend, and to my great surprise; he too said I had to paint all my parts. It’s a conspiracy. Why, I asked?  Now this is the true story, he explained that if I just happened to stop the truck over a mirror, people would be able to look up at my trucks private parts and it was just not lady like to not have them painted.  Remember what your mother said about always wearing clean underwear, you just never know who will see yours. At this point I figured I had enough opinions and went to the paint store.

Thinking of the Queen, I dedicated the weekend to cleaning my parts. First the wire brush, next the Purple Power degreaser, which was followed by brake cleaner.  My team of advisors said that Barbeque paint was the best paint option because it would stick to the rust and handle the heat from the braking action.  I have to admit that the parts do look good. But you all know I am a sucker for those little black numbers.

While my Hillbilly garage has its good points, it does not really keep all the moisture off the truck.  This fact comes to my attention as I am working on the brake drums and notice that rust is coming through the paint and in fact the spot where I was working, the Barbeque paint was rubbed off. Lord Jesus Mother of Mary, all my hard work for naught.

My theory is that there was still a grease residue on the parts and that prevented the paint from properly bonding. Now I have exactly what my Mother feared, holes in my underwear.

And it is not over, I still keep finding dirty rusty parts that need cleaning. The bed parts, among others need to be prepped. It will be a long summer.

I am going to be so glad when the Baboon Phase of this project is over. You know, the phase where you sit around on the hot savannah cleaning your parts.